Hans Vercauteren (1990) is a composer and conductor with an extensive experience in leading and creating music for theatre. His concert music has a distinct and programmatic vision and are written for a great variety of forces, going from symphony orchestra to big band.

​He studied composition with Wim Henderickx and attained his master’s degree magna cum laude in 2013 at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp, where he also studied orchestral conducting with Ivo Venkov and Koen Kessels. After his studies he attended personal conducting lessons with Ed Spanjaard.
In 2018 he completed an Artist Diploma course (composition) at the Royal College of Music in London, supervised by Kenneth Hesketh, Jonathan Cole and Errollyn Wallen. He was also an RCM Award Holder supported by a Musicians' Company Lambert Studentship.

For several years now he is a member of the Artistic Council of Music at the Royal Conservatory of Antwerp.

Hans frequently works as a recording producer/music supervisor for Motormusic.
He regularly leads recordings with The Flemish Radio Choir and Brussels Philharmonic.
Other artists include Hermes Ensemble, Casco Phil, Astoria...
 
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As a composer Hans is a Worshipful Musicians' Company Yeoman 
and was an LSO Soundhub Associate from 2017 till 2019.
He made his professional debut in 2012 with his opus 1, Ich glaub nicht, an orchestral song commissioned by the Chamber Orchestra of Belgium. This work marked the start of a strong cooperation with the orchestra, both as a composer and conductor. In 2014 he composed the tune A choice in honor of their new name, Casco Phil, premiered during a live broadcast of the Belgian television program De Zevende Dag. In summer 2016 he was the composer for Croque Malines, Casco Phil's first music summer camp for children.

Hans's compositions are by and large music for theatre, from contemporary opera to musical theatre songcycles. In September 2020 a new music theatre Rain​ premiered at the Tête-à-tête opera festival.


As a conductor he is the artistic leader of the Academic Symphony Orchestra in Mortsel, with whom he performed a varied repertoire, with a focus on opera, musical and ballet works. Appointed by the Kask Royal Conservatory of Ghent he conducted two series of Benjamin Britten’s complete Turn of the Screw, with director Gidon Saks.

Hans made his professional conducting debut with Casco Phil in December 2016, leading the Concert for Peace and was invited again in May 2017 to conduct concerts with them in Tilburg (the Netherlands) and in May 2018. September 2018 he was also voted the new principal conductor of the SU Film Orchestra at the Royal College of Music.


Awards
2016 - Euregio Composition Competition with his piece The Garden, for large orchestra.
2017 - Halle Carol Competition with Little Tree, a carol on a text by E.E. Cummings.